As soon as Azrael's words echoed across the battlefield, the scene fell into stunned silence.
After all, if what he said was true, it was beyond bizarre, a Gold-level Lore Cardian defeating an Emerald-level demon seemed impossible by any conventional logic.
Kishimoto and Toriyama exchanged doubtful glances, their years of experience as firefighters in Qilu offering no precedent for such a situation. They had both been certain Azrael would not survive the encounter, only to be proven spectacularly wrong mere minutes later.
However, unlike Kavach, they felt more delight than shock. After all, a genius like Azrael surviving was the optimal outcome, they wouldn't have to worry about facing a Master Lore Cardian's wrath for failing to protect his disciple.
Godfrey, standing nearby, felt as if lightning had struck him. He had just imagined how pleased the master would be if Azrael died, but instead of perishing, the young man had apparently become the Crimson Oath Society's number one enemy in Donglai.
At least based on his memories, Guild President Kavach definitely wasn't capable of such a feat. Godfrey's face truly resembled a corpse as he stared blankly at the young man, uncertain what to say.
Unlike the three aforementioned individuals, Diesel performed another dramatic expression change. In a matter of seconds, his features shifted between astonishment, shock, and joy, ultimately settling on convinced acceptance.
Sensing the strange atmosphere, Azrael changed the subject, "But my cards are nearly on cooldown. Those demons in the distance..." He gestured toward the shattered fleet of warships that had fallen silent. "I'm afraid I can't provide much assistance."
The others weren't prepared to let the matter drop so easily, especially Kavach. After all, he and Azrael were the only ones present who harbored genuine animosity toward each other, and he wouldn't be able to rest until he discovered what had actually transpired.
Even then, peaceful sleep would likely remain elusive.
Kavach lived up to his reputation, his expression resembling someone who had lost a beloved family member, his heart utterly devastated. "Wouldn't it have been better if he had just died peacefully?!"
In his view, Azrael's death at the hands of an Emerald-level demon would have been a happy ending for everyone, a perfect way to clear himself of suspicion. But who could have imagined that Azrael would actually kill an Emerald-level demon? This time it was an Emerald-level threat, but who might be eliminated next time?
After all, Kavach possessed some self-awareness regarding who had orchestrated Azrael's perilous situation.
After a moment's silence, his eyes rolled, and he casually made an outrageous request, "Since President Azrael claims he defeated the Emerald-level demon, could you please show us the card information you used?"
Recognizing his words were presumptuous, he attempted to justify himself. "Of course, I'm not doubting you, President Azrael. I'm simply... curious."
Even with this clarification, the others present frowned slightly. Asking to examine a Lore Cardian's specific card information was extraordinarily presumptuous, no, it couldn't be called presumptuous; it was pure ignorance.
How could a Lore Cardian's card information, crucial to their survival, be casually revealed to others? While Diesel and the others were curious, they had no intention of making such an inappropriate demand.
Besides, Azrael had done nothing wrong. Could defeating an Emerald-level demon possibly be considered a crime?
Before Azrael could respond, Diesel spoke first, "Isn't Guild Master Kavach's request rather rude? Guild Master Azrael isn't an illegal Lore Cardian requiring investigation cooperation."
Azrael observed Diesel's demeanor and gestures, confusion rising in his heart. "Why is Diesel speaking up for me?"
If he remembered correctly, Diesel was probably in cahoots with Kavach, right? But judging by his actions, the support seemed genuine.
"Am I really a succubus?" The thought struck him with dark humor.
A fake succubus: scantily clad in revealing black stockings with an enormous bust, pestering you daily with intent to drain you dry.
A true succubus: a weathered middle-aged man in his late fifties, shaking your hand while asking if you'd join him in supporting the Empire.
Azrael remembered similar events at Pixar University, when Oliver from the Battle Club had inexplicably become his devoted fan. But then he recalled the information Shiraori had identified about Diesel, "The Addict of Contradictions."
Considering his title, such behavior wasn't entirely surprising.
"So... haven't I already effectively sidelined Kavach?"
Setting aside the seemingly neutral Director of Human Resources Godrick, he now controlled both Gold-level Lore Cardians at the Donglai Cardian Master Association headquarters.
Azrael suddenly realized he was approaching de facto control of Donglai, both openly and covertly.
Even as his thoughts raced, Kavach's expression hardened. He said stiffly, "Director Diesel, what do you mean by 'investigation'? I'm simply curious. I believe President Azrael would satisfy my innocent curiosity."
In a few words, he had attempted to place Azrael on his side. What Kavach didn't realize was that in Azrael's eyes, he was already as good as dead.
In response to his actions, Azrael simply said, "You're curious?" and then completely ignored him.
Kavach froze, not expecting such blunt dismissal. Just as he prepared to continue probing Azrael's hidden agenda, a blazing flash of lightning exploded near them.
Immediately afterward, an elderly man in pristine Taoist robes with a flowing white beard materialized on the shore.
"Where's the Emerald-level demon?" the old man demanded, scanning the area with sharp eyes.
Upon seeing the newcomer, Azrael brightened with surprise. "Master Finn?"
"Azrael?!" The elderly man's stern expression softened with concern. "Are you unharmed?"
The old man was none other than Master Finn, a close friend of Azrael's teacher, Lucian. Azrael hadn't expected this particular individual to arrive. If he recalled correctly, Finn should have reached Diamond level by now.
He shook his head and asked, "Why are you here?"
Logically, the Qilu Cardian Master Association should have been able to dispatch an Emerald-level Lore Cardian to handle the Donglai situation, there was no need to alert a Diamond-level master like Finn.
Furthermore, as a Celestial Master, the elder should normally operate in the Mid-Town area, which was relatively southern. Why had he come to Qilu, near the north?
Master Finn chuckled at Azrael's question and stroked his pale beard. "The situation in the north isn't favorable, so I'm providing assistance there. I happened to be resting recently, so after receiving Donglai's request for aid, I rushed over to assess the situation."
This was all true. However, Master Finn didn't mention that Azrael was his old friend's most promising disciple, and his friend had specifically asked him to watch over the young man after he arrived in Donglai.
The newly emerged secret realm along the southern coast had left Azrael's teacher completely occupied. Therefore, Master Finn had already informed the Qilu Cardian Master Association and provided them with crucial intelligence about Donglai.
"Speaking of which, didn't your message indicate that an Emerald-level demon had appeared on Donglai's coast? Where is this demon?"
At that moment, Master Finn's perception detected no Emerald-level demons, even the Gold-level threats were mere stragglers and wounded remnants.
Upon hearing this, Azrael recounted the previous events to the old man. He omitted details about his Crimson Oath Society cards and his request for assistance from Memphis.
By now, he had devised a strategy. Even if they needed to examine his card information, he could easily attribute everything to Aizen's Inventor trait. After all, that trait's description was deliberately vague, allowing for creative explanations.
Something like the appearance of the Hōgyoku, allowing Aizen to evolve into a Transcendent Being and slice through Vangeance with a single devastating blow. Or perhaps the manifestation of the Divine Light Rod, enabling transformation into a Warrior of Light to obliterate Vangeance with a Zeperion Ray.
Yes, that made perfect sense. Someone might argue that Azrael couldn't become a Warrior of Light without light in his heart? Check out Dark Tiga, there was always a precedent available.
But it was clear that Master Finn wouldn't press the issue. The younger generation had their own opportunities, and he wouldn't pry further. After all these years, he still trusted his old friend's judgment implicitly.
The old man simply regarded Azrael with pleasant surprise. "Impressive, Azrael! I didn't expect you to possess such capabilities."
Although Gold versus Emerald did seem otherworldly, a card with multiple enhancements and blessings didn't make success impossible. Combined with extraordinary abilities, the chances of a Gold-level card defeating an Emerald-level opponent were slim but not zero.
What Master Finn couldn't have anticipated was that Azrael had relied on the abstract skill [Administrator's Observation], a power that transcended conventional understanding.
Kavach had been attempting to make himself invisible since the very beginning of Master Finn and Azrael's conversation. He hadn't anticipated that the support sent by the Qilu Cardian Master Association would be Azrael's elder, and a Diamond-level Lore Cardian at that!
Even if his entire family were mobilized, they wouldn't be able to challenge such a figure.
Damn it, does having connections really mean you can do whatever you want?
Kavach had no idea what Azrael was thinking, or he might have responded like the villain in a classic drama, "Sorry, but having connections really does mean you can do whatever you want."
And these weren't just any connections, he had backing in both legitimate and underground circles.
Kavach could only pray that Azrael wouldn't complain to Master Finn, or he would face catastrophic consequences. Fortunately, the young man seemed disinclined to pursue the matter.
Azrael simply glanced at him coldly before dismissing him entirely. After all, who wastes words with a dead man?
Master Finn, a perceptive individual with extensive experience, naturally observed the conflict between the president and vice president of the Donglai Cardian Master Association. But since Azrael didn't mention it, he had no intention of interfering.
It seemed the young man had already made his decision.
"Since everything's resolved, I'll return now." Seeing no immediate tasks requiring his attention, Master Finn prepared to depart from Donglai. He was only on vacation and would soon return north to assist Master Tempest in fighting the demon army.
"Before I leave..." Master Finn paused, seemingly struck by inspiration, and a red-faced, bearded figure holding a golden seal in his left hand and a golden whip in his right appeared beside him.
[Taiyi Thunder-born Responsive Transformation Heavenly Worthy·Wang Lingguan]
As a crucial deity in the Empire of Aetherlight's Taoist system, Wang Lingguan was naturally the preferred choice among contemporary Taoist disciples. However, he was at least Emerald-grade, making him impossible for most disciples to summon.
But as the current Celestial Master, Master Finn naturally faced no such limitations.
Wang Lingguan's expression was dignified and fierce. As the golden seal in his hand rotated, wisps of divine flame shot toward the sea. The moment the golden flames touched the water, they instantly spread across the entire ocean.
In the blink of an eye, every visible inch was filled with rising golden fire. The next moment, everyone witnessed what it truly meant to burn the heavens and boil the seas.
The vast ocean became like bubbling soup, vaporizing and dissipating into the air. Space itself distorted under the soaring temperatures.
But that wasn't the most impressive aspect. The vast fleet in the distance ignited like massive torches, burning fiercely on the sea's surface while releasing tremendous heat. Within seconds, the armada that Vangeance had painstakingly assembled was no longer visible.
"You won't need to worry about their threat anymore."
As Master Finn's voice echoed, the golden flames on the sea's surface flew back to the golden seal in Wang Lingguan's hand like swallows returning to their nests.
Strangely, despite their proximity, Azrael and his companions felt no heat whatsoever. The once-boiling seawater instantly calmed, as if nothing extraordinary had occurred. Only the vanished fleet of warships in the distance confirmed that the previous display hadn't been an illusion.
"Now I'm truly departing."
Dismissing Wang Lingguan's manifestation, Master Finn smiled warmly at Azrael. What he had just accomplished wasn't a whim or mere showing off, he simply wanted to assist his old friend's disciple.
After all, if Azrael were bullied under his watch, he wouldn't be able to face his old friend.
"Safe travels," Azrael replied with deep gratitude, bowing respectfully.
In a brilliant flash of lightning, the elderly Taoist vanished from the shore.
With Master Finn's departure, the assembled Lore Cardians breathed sighs of relief. Godfrey had been especially nervous, he was far more anxious facing Master Finn than even facing Alice.
His situation was complicated, after all. Being the association's director was his profession, but being a member of the Crimson Oath Society was his life.
Azrael was different, he was a member of Schrödinger's Crimson Oath Society, capable of switching allegiances at any moment if necessary.
He glanced at the silent Kavach and declared, "Now that the crisis has been resolved, we can clean up the remaining issues here, and everything should return to normal."
This was technically overstepping his authority, it would have been more appropriate for President Kavach to make such statements. However, since Kavach appeared troubled at the moment, Azrael temporarily assumed presidential responsibilities on his behalf.
Upon hearing this, the other Gold-level Lore Cardians, excluding Kavach, all agreed and turned to attend to their respective duties.
Seeing this display, Kavach seemed to regain his composure, and a false smile once again appeared on his face. "Then I'll leave this to President Azrael. I'll return to headquarters to oversee operations there."
Without waiting for Azrael's response, he disappeared from the coastal area.
Watching the hypocritical middle-aged man's retreat, Azrael curled his lips in disdain, scoffing internally.
"Pathetic."